A little sparkle in her eyes

I remember a family therapy session with a little boy and his mom where something unexpected happened.

The mom started sharing her story with one twist after another.  She gave up her education, got married, became a mother, suffered from postpartum depression…then stumbled into a volunteer job.  In that volunteer work, she discovered her talent  and now dreams of starting her own business.

I was hooked.

Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “You should write a book!”

Her face lit up.  She shared her gracious gratitude towards the people who saw something in her before she saw it in herself.

Meanwhile…her son quietly disappeared into his mom’s phone.

Whoops.

Didn’t mean to ignore you, buddy.  But your mom had this sparkle in her eyes…it was so bright it stole the whole show.

At one point, she said to me, “You make people feel so comfortable talking.”

I thought, well…that comes from years of doing therapy.  Most important, seeing people as whole, not broken.

Somewhere along the way, I realized…I had handed her the session.
Therapist: 0
Mom: 1

But I didn’t mind.  I got to see who she really is.

And it’s clear that she has shaped her son in powerful ways.

Despite his struggles, this boy is thoughtful, perceptive, and genuinely a joy to work with.  That doesn’t happen by accident.

Mom, keep going.  Follow that spark.

In a family, when one person grows, everyone feels it.

And when a child sees a parent trusts themselves and moves forward and upward, that’s how they learn to trust themselves, too.

So, keep doing what brings you joy.

That joy doesn’t stop with you.  It flows into our next generation.

And that…is one of the most beautiful gifts an adult can give to a child.